The proliferation of phone service, such as mobile phone service, Voice over IP (VoIP) service, SKYPE, or Instant Messaging (IM) based phone services such as those offered by Yahoo, MSN or Google, provides unprecedented convenience for a user to receive a phone call. For example, a user of a dual mode phone can receive a phone call from a mobile phone service while driving on a freeway and can receive another phone call from SKYPE service via a WiFi Hotspot while enjoying a relaxing afternoon in a downtown café.
Typically, each phone service is associated with a phone number with which a user receives the service. This nevertheless creates a profound problem for the user.
In one example, a user uses a WiFi-GSM dual mode phone to receive a GSM mobile phone service with a GSM phone number and Yahoo Phone In service with a Yahoo Phone In phone number. The user gives the GSM phone number to his stock broker while visiting his parents in a remote town in Kansas. The parents' house has broadband Internet access through the local cable company, but is outside of GSM signal coverage. The user uses his dual mode phone to sign on to Yahoo Phone In service using the broadband Internet access and is able to receive phone calls from his wife and children back home. Unfortunately, when his stock broker needs to consult with the user for an important stock purchase decision by dialing the GSM phone number, he is unable to reach the user.
In another example, a user uses a dual mode phone to receive a GSM mobile phone service, Yahoo Phone In service, SKYPE and two other phone services that are tailored to her participation in the local school and church. Each phone service is associated with a different phone number. A friend who knows only one of the five phone numbers can only reach the user if the associated phone service is available for her dual mode phone. A second friend who knows all five phone numbers will have to try calling the phone numbers one after another in order to reach the user.
Therefore, there is a need to provide a universal phone number service, that is, a service that allows a user to conveniently receive phone calls on any phone service with a single phone number.